History of the Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912 Volume 1

James Otis Lyford

General Books, 2013 - History - 188 pages

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1912 edition. Excerpt: ...large enough at any election to eliminate a trial of strength the following year. The political battle in town opened with the choice of a moderator, the law prior to 1893 requiring this official to be elected by the meeting over which he presided. This was the test vote. The political complexion of the moderator almost invariably determined the party to elect the representative to the legislature and the board of selectmen.1 The town clerk was usually chosen year after year as long as he would serve, though if party spirit ran high, not even his popularity, the outgrowth of constant accommodation to his fellow-citizens, saved him from defeat if his party lost the town. With the exception of the election of a delegate to a constitutional convention, when one was called, which was rare, the position of representative to the legislature was the highest office in the gift of the town. Few there were of the citizens who did not hope that at some period of their lives the choice would fall upon them. The strife for both the nomination and election was usually intense and sometimes led to breaks in party alignment, necessitating several ballots to secure the majority vote required for an election. Occasionally an adjournment had to be taken to a second day before a choice was made. In some instances, the voters wearied by successive ballots voted not to send a representative to the general court. In the days before the separation of the town from the state election, the position of selectman was a partisan office, the town fathers having charge of the making and correcting of the check list, thus sitting as a tribunal to determine who were voters in town. In a close town like Canterbury, the control of the check list might decide which party...

Bibliographic information

• Title: History of the Town of Canterbury, New Hampshire, 1727-1912 Volume 1
• Author: James Otis Lyford
• Publisher: General Books, 2013
• ISBN: 1230368701, 9781230368702
• Length: 188 pages
• Subjects: History / General